Australian Open: Roger Federer's last "hurray" in Melbourne?
Roger Federer failed in the semifinals of the Australian Open to Novak Djokovic . After the match, the question whirled around whether this was the Swiss's last appearance in Melbourne.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Jan 31, 2020, 05:45 pm
"Now I'm sitting here and wondering: Is it really all over? If so, it was really quick. Yes, it's very real, the resignation." It is words that make every Roger Federer fan flinch . After the defeat of three sets against Novak Djokovic, the Swiss thought differently of his resignation differently than before.
One thing became obvious in the days of Melbourne: The ravages of time, it also gnaws at the 20-time Grand Slam winner. The 38-year-old got two incredible comebacks against John Millman and Tennys Sandgren , but his body had to pay tribute to these efforts and let him down in the encounter with Djokovic.
Federer in the shadow of Djokovic and Nadal
Federer suffered from problems in the groin area and went into the 50th duel with his permanent rival with only a "three percent chance". The Swiss got off to a good start, but the maestro's victory was out of the question at any point in the game - so Federer has to wait for his first Grand Slam victory against Djokovic since 2012.
It remains to be seen whether Federer will ever succeed. In sporting terms, Federer has been number three behind Djokovic and Nadal for years. Both the Serbs and the Spaniards are preparing to break the Maestro's Grand Slam record.
Federer: "Don't know if I'll be back"
In any case, Federer himself still believes that he can at least add another triumph to his major title collection. "Yes, I think I can win more Grand Slam tournaments. I feel that I can do it with my game," said the third in the world rankings.
After the loss to Djokovic, however, he left open whether Federer would give himself more than three further options: "I don't know if I will return to Melbourne Park. You never know what the future holds - especially at my age. But of course I hope I'll be back. "
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